Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 15, 1943)

Vol. 8, No. 51

VOICE of the CANAD

A
1AN MOTION PICTURE

TORONTO, DECEMBER 15, 1943

A ha

INDUSTRY

$2.00 Per Annum

Cut in Music Fees Suggested
|Heralds, Etc., Out

Dave Seigel Heads

Local 173, IATSE

David Selgel, veteran projec-
tionist, defeated Sam Wells for the
presidency of Local 173 (Toronto)
of the IATSE at the elections held
on December 5th at the Labor
Temple, Toronto. He is the third
president in three years. Last
year Sam Wells unseated Arthur

(Continued on Page 7)

Warners Announce}.

Six French Pictures

Following the unprecedented suc-
cess of the test engagement of
“Le Ciel et Toi’ (French-language
version of “All This and Heaven
Too”) at the Capitol Theatre, Que-

bec, announcement is made by
Wolfe Cohen, Canadian general

manager for Warner Bros., that

(Continued on Page 7)

Patterson Manages
Royal, North Bay

Doug Patterson, for ten years
manager of the Regent Theatre,
Creighton Mines, has arrived in
North Bay to succeed John S. Kurk
as manager of the Royal Theatre.
Temporarily transferred to the
Grand Theatre, Sudbury, Kurk has
taken over the management of the
Regent Theatre in that city.

RKO Suing Time Inc.
To Stop New Short

Suit filed in Federal Court, New
York, recently, by RKO Radio
Pictures seeks an injunction to
restrain Time, Inc. from releasing
‘TJ.S. Music and the War,” new
March of ‘Time film in which Frank
Sinatra assertedly appears singing
at a WAVE’s training station.

REO charges that release of the
short will hurt the box-office chan-
ces of its new film “Higher and
Higher,” which stars Sinatra.

Should Be Sliced to 70 Per Cent
Of Present Total, Is Claim

A basic over-all tariff for music fees in Canada should | ‘Under Order 332

be fixed by the Copyright Appeal Board which should not |
exceed the present annual royalties total, the Musical Pro-|

tective Society contends in its objections to payment of fees
"at inet Lin a emo che wAmerican .Fertormng

R. W. BOLSTAD
Newly-elected chairman of the
Motion Picture Branch of the
Toronto Board of Trade. He

succeeds Louis Rosenfeld.

| Toronto Warner Club

Elects New Officers

Recent meeting of the Warner
Club of the Toronto branch of
Vitagraph, Limited, elected the
following officers, George Altman,
president; Theresa Mancino, secre-
tary; Rose Grossman, treasurer;
W. McGuire, entertainment; Mary
Quinlan, welfare; Eva Cohen, mem-
bership; and J. Plottel, funds and
contributions.

Right Society. Wartime re-
istrictions of all kinds have}

Heralds and programs are banned
Peo use by theatres in an inter-
| pretation of Order No. 332 of the
Wartime Prices and Trade Board.
| Representatives of distributors and
exhibitors conferred with John

interfered with commercial] Atkins, administrator of Publish-
enterprises which use music —} ing, Printing and Allied industries
| grounds for a decrease rather (Continued on Page 4)

than an increase of fees.
Spokesmen for the Musical Pro-

Erechive Society suggest that, be-

| cause businesses are permitted to }
Yr

etain only 70 per cent of average
profits these days, the royalties’

(Continued on Page 2)

| Walter Ross Passes

Walter Ross, former

| Toronto. He was the father-in-

law of Ernie Rawley, manager of

the Royal Alexandra Theatre.

superin-
| tendent of the Imperial Theatre,
Toronto, passed away last week in| The

Nathanson Will
‘Is Probated

Nathan L. Nathanson, outstand-
ing figure in the Canadian motion
picture industry at the time of his
death late in May, left an estate
with a gross value of $3,536,207.
will was probated by the
Montreal Trust Company, Toronto.
The estate is made up of $158,-

eu eaten (CO ntinued on Page 7)

Puzzling Decision

Though the jury on the
projectionist who died after

| Inquest J Inquest Jury Issues
|
|

| Was unknown,

Ladysmith, BC, House
On Odeon Circuit

Odeon Theatres of Canada has
purchased the Rio Theatre, Lady-
smith, B.C., from James Haworth,
according to an announcement
made by Haskell M. Masters.

Mrs. Delaney Elected

Mrs. Eva Delaney, manager and
owner of the Delaney Theatre,
Gananoque, Ontario, last week be-
came the first woman to hold a
councillor’s position, following’ a
hotly contested Gananoque town
council election.

inquest of Herbert Naiman,
being rescued from the Film

Exchange Building fire, agreed that the origin of the trouble
its verdict _was puzzling.

The fire, accord-
— ing to the jury, was caused
by “marked negligence in not
carrying out Sections 72A and
72B of the Ontario Theatres
and Cinematograph Act by allow-
ing a quantity of naked films to
be stored in the vaults of Regal
Films Corporation.”

But the Theatres and Cinemat-
tographs Act of the Province of
Ontario designates 72A as apply-
ing to revising rooms, not vaults.
According to 72A. “All films, ex-
cept reels in actual process of
revision shall be kept in approved
shipping cases or in metal film
cabinets and such cabinets shall

(Continued on Page 2)

“Hands Across the Border?

_ trom everywhere, Big in action—excitement—music—songs and production values, A Republic picture from EMPIRE-UNIVERSAL,

Vol. 8, No. 51 Dec. 15, 1943
HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor

Address all communications—The Managing Editor,
Canadian Film Weekly, 25 Dundas Square, Toronto 1, Canada.

Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ont.,
Canada. Phone ADelaide 4317. Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year.
Entered as Second Class Matter

Regional, Eh?

We were proud to read the other day of Sir Arthur
Leme Beit telling the British House of Commons that
“Canada will finish the war with the world’s fourth largest
air force, if not the fourth armed power, and it is quite
clear she must be prepared to take her share of respon-
sibility in maintaining the peace of the Atlantic and
Pacific.”

This is one of the many expressions that prove people
everywhere are realizing that Canada has come of age.
Of some 35 United Nations, Canada, with a population of
less tham 12,000,000, has been ranked as fourth or fifth in
war effort.

But there are Camadians and Americans who haven't
yet realized that Canada has reached nationhood. These
are the men who represent :-American business interests
here. To them Comada is “regional.” That word
“regional,” used to explain to us that Canada is fed its
advertising through American national magazines, has
often irked us. Of what are we regional? Surely not the
United States.

Yet there are men who are used to thinking of Canada
that way simply because, for purposes of the distribution
of goods and gathering of revenue, we are considered
to be part of a region which includes various American
states. That may be good business but let us not forget
that Canada is a geographical, cultural and national
entity. And it should be treated that way. Canadians
like to express themselves in their own way through their
own mediums.

Let us forget that “regional” business or limit it to its
proper sphere.

Important Event

The last week of November saw one of the most inter-
esting experiments in Canadian motion picture history,
the showing of a Hollywood-made French language film
before a Quebec audience. The film was “Le Ciel et
Toi,” none other than “All This and Heaven Too” and it
was a tremendous success at the Capitol Theatre, Quebec
City, where 25,000 French-Camadians came to see it in a
week. The first try having been a success, more films will
follow.

Warners’ had the film dubbed in the French language
in such a way that the voices synchronize almost perfectly
with the lip movements of Bette Davis and other players.
Charles Boyer’s own voice is heard in the film.

“Le Ciel et Toi” was the first of a number of films
being prepared by the studio for the day when France
will be freed.

Films of this type will mean a great deal to the future
unity of Canada. Imported French films have expressed
the ideas of the Old World and Hollywood product was
hindered in its good intentions by the language barrier.

The coming of films to Quebec, each of which makes
plain modern ideas that have value in spreading general
understanding, is an event of importance. Nor must it
be forgotten that our French-speaking fellow-Canadians
can now get the same pleasure from motion pictures as
English-speaking peoples, for whom they are primarily
made.

Canadian FILM WEEKLY

Suggest Cut in
Music Royalties

(Continued from Page 1)
collection societies should have
their rates reduced so that they
will receive no more than 70 per
cent of former over-all rates.

Granting of a license to the
American Peforming Right Society
after the Ottawa hearing before
the Copyright Appeal Board will
not be opposed by the Musical
Protective Society if the APRS can
show a substantial repertoire. But,
if such a license is granted, the
Canadian Performing Right Society
should reduce its fees, according
to the position of those who pay
royalties,

Those music organizations which
will be represented in Canada by
the American Performing Right
Society were formerly represented
by the Canadian Performing Right
Society, which is an Ascap unit.
The move to open a new collection
agency resulted when Ascap and
the Peer organization split. The
Peer organization is sponsor of
the APRS. Unless the CPRS re-
duces its rates to correspond with
the APRS take, the exhibitor will
have an increased music bill.

Without a corresponding de-
crease, there would be a breach
of the spirit of the Wartime Prices
and Trade Board policy of main-
taining the price ceiling.

Present rates were based on
the premise that but one collection
society was operating in the field.

The hearing takes place on Janu-
ary 6th. The firm of McMaster,
Montgomery, Fleury & Co., are
representing the Musical Protec-
tive Society. Worman S. Robert-

son, K.C., will present the argu-
ments before the Copyright Appeal
Board.

DAVID SEIGEL
Newly-elected president of
Local 178 (Toronto) of the
IATSE, largest branch of that

organization in Canada.

December 15, 1948

Inquest Verdict
Given by Jury

(Continued from Page 1)
not have a capacity exceeding fifty
reels of film.”

There was no evidence to show
that 72A. had been violated—if it
applies to revising rooms,

It is Section 714, Sections A, B,
C and D which applies to vaults,
according to the book of regula-
tions. one of the sections makes
any mention of how film is to be
packed in vaults. There is no rule
shown which forbids naked films to
be stored in vaults,

Again, in the case of 72B, which
is designated as applying to film
cuttings, there is a question as to
whether Regal’s conduct was out-
side the regulations.

Says 72B: “All film scraps or
cuttings from film shall be de-
posited in a covered metal recep-
tacle kept at least one-half filled
with water which shall be emptied
daily and all film departments shall
be cleared of all waste paper or
similar inflammable debris daily.”

Winslow Brown, in charge of
Regal’s supply department, testi-
fied that this had been adhered to.

There were three barrels and
two boxes of junked film outside
the vaults but these did not con-
tain scraps or cuttings from re-
vision. They contained rolls of
discarded films—not scraps or cut-
tings—awaiting shipment to Cana-
dian Kodak and acceptable for
transporting while packed in that
fashion.

The films in the barrels and
boxes and 600 naked reels in the
vault were not damaged during
the fire.

Though Carl Caskey, Provincial
deputy fire marshal, couldn’t form
an opinion as to the origin of the
fire he believed that it would not
have occurred if containers had
been used. He said that “some
one was in No. 1 vault prior to
our arrival on the morning of the
fire and something was taken out.”
Dorothy Wilson of Regal, ques-
tioned on the possibility of anyone
entering the vault, testified that
the key to the vault had been
locked in her desk and given to
the fire marshal. She did not
think that any unauthorized per-
son had entered the vault,

The jury recommended that film
exchanges and distributing agen-
cles be placed in buildings of one
and not more than two storey
buildings. These buildings should
not contain other offices or pro-

jection rooms and should be
located outside the municipal
limits.

Chief Coroner Lawson com-
mented during the proceedings
that only 11 film exchanges in the
United States are not in buildings
of one or two storeys.

The verdict called for more

stringent and frequent inspection.

@

a

REVIEWS
INFORMATION F
| RATINGS i}

Vol. 8, No. 51

REVIEWS FROM FILM DAILY, NEW YORK

December 15, 1943

“What's Buzzin’

Cousin’

with Ann Miller, Rochester, John Hubbard
Columbia 75 Mins.

FREDDY MARTIN HELPS BOLSTER
BOX OFFICE POSSIBILITIES OF THIS
COMEDY; MILLER, ROCHESTER ALSO
GOOD.

“What's Buzzin’ Cousin?” isn't
the hepeat stuff that its title sug-
gests, although there are a couple
of strains of hot music. The title,
in fact, is absolutely meaningless
in this instance.

The exhibitor will have to look
to Ann Miller, Eddie Anderson
(Rochester) and Freddy Martin
and his orchestra for the audience
appeal of this film, a mild comedy
with none-to-strong a story. Miss
Miller regales the customers with
several peppy dance numbers.
Rochester deals out some comedy
which, while not exactly new,
manages to squeeze a fair number
of laughs out of the patrons. But
perhaps the strongest attraction of
all is Martin. The baton wielder
floods the film with melody in a
wide variety of musical offerings
topped by his own swing arrange-
ment of Liszt’s Second Hungarian
Rhapsody, one of the film’s high
moments. The Martin aggregation
has 10 tunes to play around with.

The yarn has a quartet of
chorines trying to make a go of
a hotel in a deserted town. The
place has been inherited by Miss
Miller. Upon the scene come the
Martin boys with Rochester and
John Hubbard, a vocalist. The
place is turned into a night club
at Hubbard’s suggestion, but it’s
no go until a gold rush starts as
a result of Rochester’s misplaced
bridgework. Subsequently the joint ;
is sold by the chorines to a group
of racketeers at a fat profit. The
romance is taken care of by Hub-
bard and Miss Miller.

Jack Fier produced and Charles
Barton contributed lively direction.
Harry Sauber is responsible for the
screenplay, which is based on a

yarn by Aben Kandel.

tin, Leslie Brooks, Jeff Donnell, Carol

. Crazy House 3 ? ‘Paris After

with Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson
Universal : 80 Mins.

OLSEN, JOHNSON GO BERSERK IN

FURIOUS COMEDY PACKED ‘WITH
MUSIC AND SPECIALTIES; SWELL
POPULAR DIVERSION.

No film could have been more
aptly named than this. The title
prepares one for as insane an
exhibition of funmaking as is
humanly conceivable. Those who
relish wild and uninhibited diver-
sion will get more than their
money’s worth as Ole Olsen and
Chic Johnson uncork all their
tricks, putting on a breathless
slam-bang show that doesn’t slow
up for a second. Nothing in the
film makes sense, which is as it
should be, considering the type of
comics the Olsen-Johnson boys are.
The film is corn pure and simple
and makes no pretense at being
anything else. Accepted as such,
it should prove an excellent means
of relaxation.

Practically every available per-
former on the Universal lot has
been pressed into service to gar-
nish this dish of mad hilarity.
Helping Olsen and Johnson. to
make “Crazy House” solid enter-
tainment are a number of guest
stars topped by Allan Jones, Leo
Carrillo, Robert Paige, Andy De-
vine and Alan Curtis. Brief ap-
pearances by these are augmented
by an endless parade of specialities
by the DeMarcos, Marion Hut-
ton and the Glenn Miller Singers,
the Chandra Kaley Dancers, the
Delta Rhythm Boys and many,
many others, all to the taste of
the avid filmgoers, who will find
two bands, Count SBasie’s and

:Leighton Noble’s, as added mag-

nets.

The songs are many and as
down to earth as the comedy.

The furious capers of the Olsen
and Johnson duo revolve around
their efforts to make a picture of
their own after they are let out
by their studio because of their
maddening antics. Their search

" ;for talent provides a logical means

of introducing most of the spe-

Hughes, Theresa Harris, Roy Gordon, |ciality numbers.

Bradley Page, Warren Ashe, Dub Taylor,
Betsy Gay, Louis Mason.
DIRECTION,

Margaret O'Brien
Gets Mag Award

Six year old star Margaret
O’Brien was recently selected by
Parents’ Magazine as the fifth
recipient of its annual award to
the most talented motion picture
juvenile of the year,

The plot of the film is worked

Okay. PHOTOGRAPHY, | out by a cast loaded with comedy

purveyors. Besides Olsen and
Johnson there are Percy Kilbride,
Edgar Kennedy, Franklin Pang-
born, Billy Gilbert, Shemp Howard,
not to mention Cass Daley, who
makes a mighty hit by her screw-
ball behavior.

Practically the only atraight
roles are played by Patric Knowles
as the director of the Olsen-John-
son production and Martha O’Dris-

Dark’

with George Sanders, Philip Dorn, Brenda
Marshall
20th-Fox & Mins.

FAMILIAR YARN ABOUT UNDER-

GROUND MANAGES TO SQUEEZE} TAKES

THROUGH THANKS TO ACTING AND
MOMENTS OF SUSPENSE.

“Paris After Dark” is another
addition to the list of pictures
about the underground movement
in the lands conquered by Hitler.
This latest rehash of the story
turns out to be an undistinguished
film hewing pretty closely to for-
mula. A number of good per-
formances and a certain amount
of excitement and suspense re-
deem the production and set it
down as fairly acceptable enter-
tainment for those who have not
tired of films on the subject ex-
ploited by this 20th-Fox offering.

The action deals with a sahbo-
tage organization operating in
Paris. At its head is an aristo-
crat surgeon (George Sanders)
who is aided by his assistant
(Brenda Marshall) and her hus-
band (Philip Dorn), fresh from a
German prison camp. The latter,
his days numbered as a result of
brutal treatment at the hands of
the Nazis, does not volunteer his
services until the murder of his
youthful brother-in-law (Raymond
Roe).

The performances for the most
part are on the credit side. Philip
Dorn and Miss Marshall play with
an earnestness that overshadows
the work of Sanders, who, however,
gives a good account of himself
as the surgeon, even though there
seems little of the Frenchman in
his performance.

CAST: George Sanders, Philip Dern,
Brenda Marshall, Madeleine LeBeau, Mar-
cel Dalio, Robert Lewis, Henry Rowland,
Raymond Roe, Gene Gary, Jean Del Val,
Curt Bois, Anne Codee, Louis Borell, John
Wengraf, Michael Visaroff, Frank Lyon.

DIRECTION, Routine. PHOTOGRA-
PHY, Okay.

coll as a carhop who is “discov-
ered” by him,

CAST: Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson, Martha
O’Driscoll, Patric Knowles, Cass Daley,
Percy Kilbride, Leighton Noble, Thomas
Gomez, Edgar Kennedy, Andrew Tombes,
Ray Walker, Robert Emmet Keane,
Franklin Pangborn, Chester Clute, Billy
Gilbert, Richard Lane, Hans Conreid,
Shemp Howard, Fred Sanbern, Alan Cur-
tis, Lee Carrillo, Allan Jones, Robert
Paige, Grace McDonald, Lon Chaney,
~AAndy Devine, the DeMarces, Marien Hat-
ton and Glenn Miller Singers, Chandra
Kaley Dancers, Laison Brothers, the Five
Hertzegs, Bobby Brooks, Ward and Van,
Terry Sheldon, Harry Powers, Billy Reed,
ag Basie and his hand, Delta Rhythm

ys.

DIRECTION, Good, PHOTOGRAPHY,

rrr

‘Riding High’

with Derothy Lamour, Dick Powell, Victor
Moore
89 Mins.

Paramount
MARK. THIS MUSICAL ATTRACTION
DOWN AS ACE POPULAR ENTER-
TAINMENT HEADED FOR HEAVY

Entertainment in the popular
vein rides high in this Technicolor
beauty from the Paramount stu-
dios. Love, laughter and music
make “Riding High” a combina-
tion that will gallop home with
plenty of dough. The picture’s
marquee strength double-checks
the box office success of the pro-
duction.

Walter DeLeon, Arthur Phillips
and Art Arthur have turned a play
by James Montgomery into a
breezy comedy that often suffers
delightful fits of insanity. The
ehief fault with the script is that
it drags out several sequences be-
yond reason. Except for one or
two such spots, the film is gener-
ally a fast-stepping musical show.

Set against a Southwestern
background that gives it tremen-
dous eye appeal and produced
richly by Associated Producer
Fred Kohlmar, the show depicts
the efforts of Dick Powell, a min-
ing engineer, to obtain financing to
make a success of a silver mine
owned by Dorothy Lamour’s pop.
Victor Moore, a counterfeiter, plays
Santa Claus by supplying Powell
with phoney dough with which to
attract legitimate money. This
gets Powell innocently involved
with the law. Most of the action
has to do with a cat-and-mouse
game between the sheriff and
Powell and Moore. Everything is
worked out satisfactorily in a slam-
bang finish. The film would not
be complete without a romantic
tie-up between Miss Lamour and
Powell.

Under the skillful direction of
George Marshall, Miss Lamour
appears to good advantage as an
entertainer at the dude ranch
where the story is laid. Powell
carries the assignment opposite
her acceptably. Credit for most
of the fun goes to Moore. The
picture owes a lot to Cass Daley,
screwball comedienne, who proves
a sensation as the owner of the
dude ranch. Every time she ap-
pears the show perks up amaz-
ingly. Gil Lamb’s work as the
sheriff adds heavily to the laughs.

CAST: Derethy Lamour, Dick Powell,
Victor Moore, Gil Lamb, Cass Daley, Milt
Britton and band, Bill Geodwin, Rod Cam-
eron, Glen Langan, Louise La Planche,
Marle McDonald, Andrew Tombes, Doug-
las Fowley, Tim Ryan, Pierre Watkin,
Stanley Pine, Dwight Butcher, Lane

Chandler, James Flavin, Charles R. Moore,
William Edwards, James Burke.

DIRECTION, Geoed. PHOTOGRAPHY,
Aces.

Page 4

OF CANADA LTD.

277 Victoria Street,
Toronto.

*

SHH-HH:?!

DON’T TELL ANYONE
THAT—

Women
In Bondage

Starring

GAIL PATRICK
NANCY KELLY

*

SHOWS THE TRUTH
ABOUT—

The destruction of morality and
womanhocd under the Nazi New
Order.

Seerct Service regulations dictate to
German soldiers whom to love.

Nazi baptism of babies under military
sword and Hitler’s Mein Kampf.

German women directing British
Bombers with light signals to pummel
Nazi factories.

Wins Critics’ Praise
in

Daily Variety

Motion Picture
Herald

Showmen’s Trade
Review

True ---

Because it is produced from
Eye-Witness Accounts.

*

The new “big name” company
in the industry.

MONOGRAM
PICTURES

Toronto, Montreal, St. John,
Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver.

___. Canadian FILM WEEKLY

He Knew What They Wanted (?)

The almost severe manpower situation in theatres has caused
help hirers to forget qualifications and take what they can get
when they can get it.

Each theatre has a novel story or two about the help. The
other day a manager noticed an usher putting his shoes on.

“My feet hurt,” the usher explained, “so I took my shoes off.”

He had been walking around the place in his socks all evening.

But an even better story is about the de luxe house with a deaf
and dumb usher.

Naturally, the patrons ask him such common questions as
“What time is it?” or “Where do I go to exchange these tickets
for loges” and so on.

The usher, in spite of his handicap, answers all questions—
but in the same way.

If a2 man asks a question, the usher points to the men’s room.
Ladies are directed to the powder room.

An irksome mystery the other night was the complaint of
the soldier who said he had left a bottle of whiskey in his great-
coat, which he left in the checkroom. The whiskey, he insisted,
was missing. He probably drank it before going to the theatre,
the stuff having induced forgetfulness.

if = u

For Your Scrap Book

The vague thing called showmanship takes many forms and
its use does not imply a cheapening of standards. Showmanship
is possible in the pulpit, too, even when dignity is the first rule.

I enjoyed reading part of a sermon by Rev. George E. Trimble
in Fairlawn United Church. Perhaps you would like it for your
Scrap book or wallet. His text was St. Paul’s exhortation to the
Corinthians that they should be “living epistles, written not with
ink, but upon the tablets of the human heart, which are known
and read of all men.”

“Christians should be living newspapers,” he said. ‘‘Men read us like a
book. They read us as they read a newspaper. (What are we headlining in our
lives? Deeds of kindness, a gift to the blood bank, a cup of cold water to some
underprivileged child, a hearty handclasp to a blinded veteran, good news—or a
bit of scandal? Will our generosity this Christmas make necessary an ‘extra’?

“Each of us is an editor. The editorial columns of a daily reveal the editor
—whether he is broad, tolerant, global-minded, or narrow, bigoted and selfish.
Now and again we meet an editor suffering from astigmatism—a blind spot.
There is a blur in his thinking which he may even mistake for wisdem. In the
great questions of the day—war, peace, politics, education, socialism, capitalism
—can you see clearly, think clearly? For as a man thinketh, so is he. We need
have no fear if this mind be in us which was in Christ Jesus.

“In the sport section of your life have you learned to play? It isn’t time or
wasted money. Get in the game. In these days of tension we need recreation.
The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Make it strong and beautiful.

“Turn to the business section of your life. No longer is it ‘business is
business’ or ‘the public be damned.’ There is a new philosophy—‘the public be
served.” To use men to make money, instead of using money to make men, is
not business. It is brutality.

“Have you left out the comic strip from your life? Can you laugh at the
antics of Napoleon, the Bumsteads, Jiggs and Orphan Annie? When the ten-
sions of life are taut and we are tied up In knots, a rich, ringing laugh lightens
the strain, lifts the Joad and sweetens the air. Perhaps your greatest need is to
laugh at yourself.

“The last page of the paper is usually advertising. We have learned that it
pays to advertise. Business believes in slogans. St. Paul believed in slogans—
°‘To live is Christ, to die is gain.’ Wesley had a slogan—The world Is my
parish.’ What is yours? What are you advertising?”

& o as

Life On the Road

A man must make sacrifices for his art—or his Artists,
providing they are United. A UA checker found that out the
other day.

Said checker checked into the Queen’s Theatre, Hespeler,
Ontario, to click off the customers to “Stage Door Canteen.”
But he had no place to sleep. Exhibitor Jack Melzer tried here
for him, there for him but without avail.

Until he got a bright idea and solved the problem. He
phoned the Chief of Police who allowed the checker to break into
jail and stay overnight!

December 15, 19438

Heralds, Etc., Out
Under Order 332

(Continued from Page 1)
with a view to determining what

leeway there was under the order.

Nothing can be created for use
beyond the theatre premises which
might be displayed anywhere but
on a travelling conveyance or as
a 24-sheet.

They were told that in areas
where there is no newspaper or
where insufficient means of public
communication exist, an exhibitor
could state his difficulties and
apply for a permit to continue in
some measure his accustomed ad-
vertising practices.

Though there is no restriction on
importing material, distribution is
restricted under the order, Poster
departments of exchanges have
considerable stock on hand and it
is expected that allowances will
be worked out for distribution of
such material. Those seeking per-

mits must provide data of supplies
on hand and orders filed. Press

books are regarded as catalogues
and thus remain unaffected.

The exhibitor’s channels of ad-
vertising are now his premises,
newspapers, radio, 24-sheets and
public conveyances.

An equivalent order will be
issued in the USA shortly and it
is expected to be more severe
than the Canadian one.

The regulations go into effect on
December 3Sist.

CONTRACT
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Page 6

Canadian FILM WEEKLY

December 15, 1948

Do You Remember Bitlee Smith?

I sets on the British Empire
and the same may be applied
to that large but none-the-less
select group who comprise “show
business.” If through circum-
stances one retires from the busi-
ness, his heart is still with it and
the memories are so strong that
they stay with him for the balance
of his life. . Probably he has saved
scrap books which he looks at now
and again in order to bring back
vividly the grand old days.

Such a man is William C. Smith,
now proprietor of the smartest
little pub and hotel in Southern
England. Called the Rydal Hotel
and situated in New Milton, Hamp-
shire, it is hidden behind a high
hedge but once inside the hospital-
ity is of the same quality as one
finds in a Canadian theatre.

And Billee (correct) Smith is
just the one who would know about
that. He was a Canadian showman
many years ago and knew the film
business in Canada from end to
end, although more particularly in
the Maritimes. Formerly on the

stage at St. John, N.B., before the
last war, he became one of the
most aggressive exhibitors and
exchange managers the city ever
That was during the last

knew.

but - - -

| your present sound equipment must
last for the duration.

regular service!

DOMINIO

2 | SEE bright things
ahead for the postwar
| theatre...

T IS said that the sun never A Canadian Visitor in England Chanced On

An Old Friend of Many of Our Showmen
And Wrote This Interesting Article

war. Proudly displayed in his pub
are framed letters from people still
widely known in the business. And
in his voluminous scrap books are
many echoes of the past.

Though Smith left St. John for
San Francisco in 1918, he still has
many memories of his Canadian
show days. One of the first per-
sons he asked for when I met him
was Archie Mason, of the Capitol,
Springhill, and now mayor of that
place. With Mason, then at the
Imperial, St. John, Smith, who was
managing the Empress, worked
out many improvements in the
presentation of films and bands.

MITH wanted to know about

Joe Leiberman and Mitch Bern-
stein, now of the B. & L. circuit,
and A. Garson, who owns the Gar-
rick in Halifax, the Kent in Monc-
ton and other houses. Young Gar-
son, Smith said, was really more
responsible than anyone else for
his going into the film game. Tom
Daley came to his mind. He
wanted to know what Daley, now
manager of the Imperial, Toronto,

—** ©
=

Conserve it with

N SOUND

EQUIPMENTS LIMITED

Head Office: 1620 Notre Dame Street West, Montreal
feswceus ay HALIFAX TORONTO WINNIPEG REGINA CALGARY VANCOUVER

was doing and he recalled that
Tom, then operator at the Casino,
Halifax, sported a large moustache.
(Hd. note—Daley, upon being made
aware of Smith’s recollections, im-
mediately sent him a gift subscrip-
tion to Film Weekly and said that
he still had in his posssesion a
contract with the former, which
called for the latter to act as
operator and janitor of the Em-
press Theatre for $25 per week.)

Smith recalled N. W. Mason eal
New Glasgow, Canada’s oldest

active theatre man; Lou Rosen-

feld, who had been manager of

Famous Players Film Service and

had left St. John for Toronto in

December, 1916; Joe Franklyn,

who was manager of the Strand,

Halifax; and Myer Herschorn of

the Imperial.

A letter still in Smith’s posses-
sion is from the General Film
Company of Canada. Written in
1918, it suggests that Smith could
get $125 for two programs in
Halifax, at the same time offering
them to Smith for his houses at
$35 for an extra week. In the
letter there was a warning: “Now
I want you to be very careful and
if you should play any of this stuff
in Nova Scotia, to see that it is
censored. The boys are after us
and they would like to get us into
@ corner.”

TIMELY item in Smith's col-

lection is from the St. John
Standard of January 29, 1916. It
tells that Maritime exhibitors
hastened to Ottawa when the re-
port came from the fuel controller
that Canadian theatres might be
closed for three days each week
to save coal. A hurried meeting
was called. Present among others
were Alice Fairweather, R. G.
March (now Fox manager in St.
John), and Smith. The theatres
were not closed, morale being the
deciding factor.

Another event of those days was
the joint meeting of exchange
managers and exhibitors to settle
problems. Among those present
were I. Soskin of Famous Players
Film Service, W. O. Fenerty of
Fredericton, Mason of New Glas-
gow and Mrs. Davidson of Monc-
ton. Chief argument was over
the condition of prints, each group
blaming the other. There was a
move on foot to move exchange
headquarters to Truro, N.S., be-
cause 75 per cent of business was
done in Nova Scotia. It never
materialized. ‘

Clippings show Smith’s problem!
with a local clergyman who in
1917 condemned pictures as im-

moral. At the time the Empress
was playing Baby Marie Osborne,
the Baby Bernhardt in a human
interest gem, ‘‘When Baby Forgot,”
a Pathe five-part photoplay. Pearl
White in “The Fatal Ring” was
also on the program and prices
had been raised from five to ten
cents. The clergyman was invited
publicly to awaken from his 13th
Century nightmare and witness a
production which proves him a fool
or a knave. Strong words but
Smith seems to have won.

ND now for some of Smith's

show ads:

“In the Days of the Thunder-
ing Herd” ... owing to the high
rental we will have to charge ten
cents to all parts ... and due to
its length (five reels) we can only
show two performances instead
of the usual three.”

“Theda Bara in ‘Under Two
Flags’ . .. wounded soldiers and
sailors admitted free at any time.
- -- Lf am doing you no favor —
on the contrary you are honoring
me with your company.”

“Rose of the Rancho’ in five
acts and 480 scenes .. . coming—
‘The Goose Girl’ and Lottie Pick-
ford in Chapter 28 of ‘The Diamond
in the Sky’ .. . Clara Kimball
Young in ‘My Official Wife’...
‘The Fortune Hunter,’ with Ethel
Clayton, a six-reel feature—de-
spite the fact that the show will
last an hour and a half there will
be no extra charge, just five cents.
.. - Charlie Chaplin, Mack Sennett
Fatty Arbuckle and Mabel Nor-
mand in ‘The Sea Nymph’... ‘Ten
Nights in a Barroom,’ day and date
in three St. John houses...
‘Tillie’s Punctured Romance,’ 6000
feet of film for ten cents in the
evening and five cents in the after-
noon.’

And so on.

ESPITE his advancing years

Smith is still enthusiastic
about the business and continues
his interest, though he is doing
very well, He would love to hear
from any of the lads in Canada
who still remember him-—and I
suspect they are legion.

So don’t forget to write him.

Aiken Takes Over
At Odeon, Sarnia

George E. Aiken, former mana~
ger of the Biltmore Theatre, Kings-
ton, Ontarlo, recently took over the
management of the Odeon Theatre,
Sarnia, from W. J. Fawcett who
had been acting manager for sev-
eral weeks. Fawcett returns to
Belleville where he is manager of
the McCarthy Theatre.

December 15, 1948

Nathanson Will
Is Probated

(Continued from Page 1)
883.83 in real estate, $159,193.42
insurance, $50,159.68 cash and per-
sonal effects valued at $3,167,-
970.79.

The will provides charitable be-
quests totalling $45,000, gifts to
employees of $22,500 and to broth-
ers, Sisters, nephews and nieces, a
total of $168,000.

Trust funds have been estab-
lished to provide a life interest in
the estate for the widow, two
daughters, Mrs. Jean Levin and
Johan Nathanson, and the son,
Paul.

sequests
made to
Children,
for Consumptives,
hospital for children,
of Jewish Philanthropies,
Blossom synagogue, Jewish
phans’ home, Toronto Jewish hos-
pital and Toronto Western hospital. |

of $5,000 each are
the Hospital for Sick
Gravenhurst Sanatorium
Queen Mary
Federation
Holy

The three employees who bene- |
fit by receiving $7,500 each are Mr. |
Nathanson’s chauffeur, nurse and

secretary.

Mr. Nathanson’s personal effects
are bequeathed to his widow, and |
the residue of the estate is divided

equally among the widow and the BAS shes ey SFO
three children for distribution, during the 1943-44 |“ “mss Ss Nees
season, at least 16 other French| Bert Higgins, Loew’s, was re
} 7 tal «yt ¥ . 7
Delaney in Town | versions of Warner product. tse 2 ee ja 7” nt ; eat ~
Flying Officer James Delaney| Among the first to be released me Tive i vet zidreek . et of a
just passed his administration | win) pe: L’Aigle des Mers (The | fou Tuadiek tie. ide} saeeii
course and is now stationed at Sea Hawk); Une Femme Dange-|secretary; and William P. Covert
No. 3 RCAF, Arnprior, Ont. ia pee se RAG I: AG Bg Spee
reuse (They_Drive by Night); La . Bor.
Yaravane Heroique (Virginia City); The executive, besides those
20th Century-Fox Has | ‘Voyage Sans Espoir ("Till We Meet |mentioned above, will consist c
Seven New Short Subs | again); te Sergent York; Le|Harry Dobson, Joseph Youmell,
Titles and the release dates of | Vie Privee d’Blizabeth d’Angleterre ap: ari 2 Shao elgg
seven more short subjects were (Elizabeth and Essex). ers al 173 is th e larg t neh
announced by Tom Connors, Vice-| M. Roger Woog, who handled | % “¢ [ATSE in Cana
president in charge of world-wide [the synchronization of Warner] Seigel started as a projection-
distribution of 20th Century-Fox | pictures in Paris previous to the /1St “9 years ago at the Empress
Film Corporation. This does not|war, has personally supervised Theatre, Toronto, and is now at
include three March of Time re-| the switch in sound tracks, using | the Casi Theatre. He ! he]
leases, all untitled as yet, two of|the voices of well-known nch |no offices nce 1936, ir hict
which will be released in Decem-| actors and actresses, now resident | year I Yas vice-president, bu
ber and one next January. The /| in Hollywood. has been active on the wag cor
seven short subjects will be re-; “Le Ciel et Toi,” originally |” ittee. The new president prais«
leased during the months of De-| pooked for four days in Quel ec, | *he v rk of the memb¢ of ft
cember and January. lplayed the full week to establish |©O™™ vhich was res b
On the list are “Kingdom of} g new all-time house record, show-|*°F § 4 gen uise x
Treasure,” one of the Magic Car-|inge to more than 25,000 persons, j cently
pet series, narrated by Lowell and toppin g the ss | The new president enjo
Thomas, photographed in Cine-|py over | sed | poy in t} i 2, rtic
color, December 3; ‘“Champions} strone larly 1 exh I
Carry On,” an Ed Thorgersen | ‘

Sports subject, December 10; “The

Or-

Hopeful Donkey,” a Terrytoon in|

Technicolor, December 17; another
Magic Carpet film,
Born,” in Technicolor, with Lowell
Thomas, as commentator, Decem-
ber 24; “The Butcher of Seville,”
a Terrytoon in Technicolor,
uary 7; “The Leathernecks on
Parade,” one of the
Adventure series, in
January 14; “The
Terrytoon in Technicolor,
21,

January

Helicopter,” a |

“A Volcano Is |

Jan-

Movietone >
Technicolor, ;

i
|

aed

Canadian FILM WEEKLY

and
above in

Carl Leserman, United Artists general sales
Daye Coplan, UA’s Canadian division manager, shown
ee ented at the recent New om home office sales mee aaE-

manager,

PW ariers Armounce|Dave Scige Heads

‘Six French Pictures Local 73. IATSE

(Continued con Page 1) (Continaed from Page I

Vitagraph, Ltd. will have available | “UUs

| Milligan, who held the sesthe for

“TEST FILM. 10,000 cycles
35 mm., with easy instruc-
tions, so that you can focus
your Sound Lens in absolute
precision and secure clear
sound and the Maximum ot Agape: hee
from your sound System. Just or epee fCR Z2EYEELE
what many theatre owners
have longed for! Bargain

$6.60."

WE 202 or MORE
OF YOUR MONEY

SCL fils LRG: Ie AS AKL,

CCAPLEN: REA SUMUES

ESR IBEAALN

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Alan Baxter
Iris Adrian

TIGER FANGS

Frank Buck
Buster Crabbe
Fifi D’Orsay

THE GIRL
FROM MONTEREY

Armida

Veda Ann Borg

HARVEST
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Rosemary Lane

Johnny Downs
Radio

The

Rogues
Vigilantes

THE
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George Zuceco
Noel Madison

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Producers Releasing
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LIMITED

Executive Offices:

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petri

“i MISA ee
By Bt cer inoones Sette

ae ,
eae WAY tees greainas 2 i siti pi tel Lites jase SE re
fe taal apie eet ce! vais titans ed snapeiig na atin pnt oie aie

Atlied States Association
of

Motion Picture Exhibitors

‘Office of the General Counsel .729 Fifteenth Sireet,N. We
Vand Chairman of the Board “Washington. D.C.

November 10, 1943

Dear Mr. Depinet:

I have just seen "Children of Mars" at
the local RKO-Keith Theatre. It is the answer 5
to those who said that a picture could not be
made on juvenile delinquency that would not do
more harm than good. The picture is intelligently
made, interesting, and its lesson is inescapable,

I do not know to what extent production of
the picture was stimulated by Jack Kirsch's efforts
as chairman of Allied's Committee on Juvenile
Delinquency, although he advocated the making of
just such a picture. Whatever the inspiration, I
hope the picture will be widely shown and I imagine
the Allied board will have something to say along
that line at the Milwaukee meeting.

Yours very truly,

Mr. Ned E. Depinet,

RKO-Radio Pictures, InC eo,
Radio City,
New York, N.Y.

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